Hate Your Way
by Draconess25
Summary: What happened between Hiei and Mukuro? A year or so after the Demon Tournament, they learn how important communication really is. Violence, language, mild yaoi/yuri, and general awkwardness.


**Hate Your Way**

It was chilly outside.

Hiei slinked into the fortress, shivering lightly. Yes, Alaric was a warm territory, but the mountains were bitterly frigid and windy. It didn't suit his tastes. Thankfully, the corridor was warm and throbbing with life. He leaned against the veiny wall, sighing with sweet relief.

Darkness came fast this early in February.

Pale green light, bioluminescent in nature, slowly flooded the fortress. This change always made Hiei a little drowsy; it was like being in the womb. He stood up, still trembling, and stumbled down the long twisting corridor. The wall he still held for support was pulsating against his palm. It tickled.

All of a sudden, Hiei's world began to spin. The heartbeat of the fortress, humid air, and green light on crimson walls made him very dizzy. It was the hundredth time it had happened in the past year. Groaning, he collapsed to the very solid, cold, non-living metal floor.

_Damn you, Mukuro! Help!_

...

Shuddering, Mukuro awoke suddenly from her nap. The sight, smell, and feel of Chikou lingered in her mind. Blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders, the goddess-like demon strode into the back room, praying that the worthless bastard was still bonded firmly with the Pseudo-Creature. With a vicious smile, she blasted her fist through his stomach.

Some soft classical music was playing in the background.

Chikou's wound quickly healed. If he felt pain, he did not show it, as he never spoke and barely groaned. Mukuro was thankful for the Pseudo-Creature, a gift from Hiei. She was thankful for _all _he had given up for her. With the loss of her kingdom almost two years ago, there was nothing to give her strength. Hiei's presence had given her the stability needed to take root and flourish.

It was no longer necessary.

Alas, Hiei was still Mukuro's best friend. She didn't know how to end the relationship without damaging that friendship. True, it had never been a serious romance, but she didn't want him to feel rejected. His life was already filled with enough loneliness. On the other hand, he and Kurama were probably itching to resume their life together.

Sighing, she rest her fingers on the _hiruseki _that dangled from her neck.

_What should I do….?_

_You should drag your ass to the front of the fortress and carry me back to your room! I blacked out again!_

_Shit! _Mukuro quickly closed off her mind. _Had he heard all that?!_

...

Slumped against the fleshy wall, Hiei fought back nausea. Mukuro had many candles in her room; she preferred them over the underwater glow that filled the rest of the compound. They could stare into a flame for hours. It was one of the many things they had in common. Still, Hiei couldn't help but wonder if those things were enough.

He had entered this relationship for two simple reasons. Mukuro was a dear friend, despite their many fights, and she needed someone she could relate to. After losing to Enki, all of her life's work had crumbled to the ground. It was a heavy blow. Naturally, Hiei became her pillar of support.

The sex was the second reason.

Did he love her? In a platonic way, yes. There were no flowers, fancy dates, or expensive chocolates. They _did _havemovie nights, but what friends _didn't _watch old slashers together? Nevertheless, Mukuro didn't really need him anymore, and he could tell that she was starting to feel smothered. This phase of their friendship was bound to end soon.

Hiei didn't have the nerve to break the chain.

Though he knew Mukuro would begin to think him condescending, he remembered a human belief that you should never date a friend. It could spoil the friendship irreparably. Humans were generally foolish, but there was still that little bit of doubt. He didn't want to risk it.

_Maybe Kurama will know what to do…._

A pair of lean arms lifted Hiei. The cold metal of Mukuro's prosthetic made his spine tingle. Sometimes, he thought she had designed the fortress after her own body: an amalgamation of meat and machine. She had assured him otherwise. The fortress was several millennia old, stolen from another _daiyoukai _long ago, and it was all just coincidence. _That_ was hard to believe.

The flicker of the candles was a sight for sore eyes.

...

Sighing softly, Mukuro rest her hand on Hiei's side. They were both exhausted, sweaty, and satisfied. Alas, this was all that was left of them. Both demons knew their friendship would fall apart if their parasitic affair didn't end. Neither had the heart to end it. The lens covering Mukuro's right eye was gone; Hiei appeared very blurry.

"It'll be fine," he whispered, though his voice held no conviction.

Mukuro shook her head. "No it won't. We have to…."

"I can't." Hiei placed his fingers on her scarred cheek. "I can't squeeze the words out."

"But it _has _to be done!"

"It's like….postponing a life-saving operation. I'm afraid I'll fuck up."

"Dammit, you can't fuck up a breakup!" Draping the thin blanket over her bare breasts, Mukuro sat up and buried her face in her hands. "You just say the words and then….it's over."

Irritated, Hiei sat up, as well. "If it's so damn easy, _you _do it!"

"Ican't, either!"

"Then maybe you _aren't _as stable as we both thought!"

"_Asshole! _You _never _thought I was stable!" Mukuro lunged at him, fists gleaming with _youki_. "You treat me like an _invalid!_"

The punch landed; Hiei hit the wall, groaning. "Y-you used to _like _it. We both agreed th-that our relationship was to h-help you get back on your feet. Or are you just _desperate _for attention?" Muscles straining, he pushed her away, blood trickling from his mouth. A large chunk of flesh was missing from his chest.

"Then _you _end it!" shouted Mukuro. Tears streaming down her face, she rammed her knuckles into him once again. "I _can't!_"

"Neither can I!" Face pained, Hiei crashed into the next room, another hole in his chest. "I _kn-know _we need to," he sighed. "But I can't just l-leave someone without a good reason! I'm not that kind of person anymore…."

"You're weak. I thought you would've grown stronger by now."

"Fuck you, woman."

Mukuro closed her sapphire eyes. "You still base your decisions on emotion. No improvement there. Why did I even try….?"

"_Listen._" Legs wobbling, Hiei stood up, gritting his teeth. "I base my decisions on _honour_. That honour will make me wait until the last minute. Go on, call it weakness, but it's a weakness I'd rather not live without."

"I can tell."

...

They still shared a bed that night.

Sleeping restlessly, deep in another nightmare, Mukuro rest her head on Hiei's chest. The fire demon opened his eyes, grimacing at the sticky feel of tears on his bare skin. He knew the horrors that raced through her mind. Nonetheless, it was difficult to remain patient, and he pushed her away.

"What's wrong….?" groaned Mukuro, squinting up at him.

"I'm not a fucking pillow!"

"Well, _sorry!_" She sat up. "I can't quite _help _it!"

Hiei sneered at her. "You can't help _anything _you do. Son of a bitch, it was _two-thousand _years ago!"

Growling, Mukuro punched him through the mattress.

"I could kill you, you bastard! You don't know my pain!"

The bed burst into flames. Breathing shakily, Hiei rose up from the inferno, engulfing Mukuro in a plume of whooshing plasma. She smiled ruefully, casually brushed aside the attack, and blasted him into the wall. Hiei, coughing up blood, clambered to his feet once again.

"You'll k-kill me before breaking up with me, won't you?"

"I guess so, hypocrite!"

The conflagration subsided.

"I'm leaving," mumbled Hiei, limping out the door.

"Good!" Mukuro shouted after him. "Be home by dinner!"

"Fuck you!"

...

Half-asleep and heart heavy, Kurama sat at his desk, blankly staring at the textbook before him. It was early in the morning, not yet sunrise. He hadn't slept but a minute; a nauseous feeling had kept him awake. Feeling a cold draft, he shivered, turning to grab his blanket.

Hiei stood in the middle of the room.

"I'm….I'm back."

"I can't believe it!" Bursting into joyous laughter, Kurama pounced on the fire demon. "Did you and Mukuro….?"

"Not yet." They held each other tightly. "But if she's truly ready to be alone, this will be enough to make her leave me. She doesn't understand that I can't just break up with her!"

Kurama frowned. "This probably isn't a good idea, love…."

"Why not?"

"Infidelity is _never _right," sighed the fox demon, taking a step back. "Mukuro could feel betrayed."

"But if she _really _wants to end the relationship―"

"It doesn't work that way…."

...

Shizuru was sound asleep. Mukuro sat in the corner, warily watching the young brunette. As far as she knew, humans were opposed to demonic stalkers. Nonetheless, Shizuru was the oldest of the girls, the only one who could possibly understand. They had been friends for a few months.

Snapping awake, Shizuru sat up and faced her. "What are you doing in my room?!"

"Waiting for you to wake up."

"But _why?!_"

"I need someone to talk to," sighed Mukuro. "You never gave me your number_._"

"Makes sense, I guess. Are you still dating Hiei?"

Mukuro looked down. "Not sure. I want to remain friends, but I don't _need _him anymore…."

"Then dump him."

"I can't bring myself to do it! So many people have rejected him, and I simply don't want to be one of those people! For weeks, I've been trying to goad him into ending into breaking up with me, but his damn _honour_ won't let him…."

The human frowned. "I don't know how to help…."

"Will you have sex with me?"

"_What?!_"

...

Hiei and Kurama were attached at the mouth, eyes closed tightly in pleasure. Their hearts thumped against each other. Already nude, Hiei pulled Kurama on top, roughly removing the redhead's pants. Now as naked as his lover, Kurama pulled away, looking Hiei in the eye.

"I still don't think you should do this…."

"If Mukuro _r-really _wants to leave me," panted Hiei, "She'll do it when she smells you all over me."

"Yes, b-but she'll also feel betrayed! Friends don't lie to each other."

"She said she wants me to leave her. If that's true, she probably won't care!"

"How would you feel if _she _cheated on _you?_"

...

"But what if this _doesn't _work? What if he _still _stays with you? What if it hurts him even _worse _than rejection? I thought an ancient demon would think this out…."

"I have," chuckled Mukuro. "He's a thief. I highly doubt unfaithfulness will faze him."

"If you say so."

"Don't you see? This will _prove _that I no longer need him! He'll be free to go back to Kurama."

"But how would you feel if _he _cheated on _you?_"

...

The deed was done. Mukuro and Shizuru had taken their friendship to the next level, consummating something they had felt since they met. Hair even more disheveled than usual, Mukuro trudged down the hall, smelling of human female. She would've enjoyed it more under better circumstances.

Nevertheless, she felt confident that the fire demon would look past his honour.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, intermingling with Mukuro's own. She sensed Hiei's _youki_ growing nearer. Stopping in her tracks, she waited for him to know her infidelity. Hiei, smiling darkly, rounded the corner; the smile quickly faded. Likewise, Mukuro could smell a certain fox.

She remembered Shizuru's words. _How would you feel if HE cheated on YOU?_

Hiei felt similar. "Kurama was right! He _warned _me! You backstabbing little―"

"Says the kettle to the pot!" shouted Mukuro, running at him. "Because both are _black!_"

Hiei, dodging, through a fireball at her. "That isn't even how it goes, you whore!"

"_Don't call me a whore!_"

Mukuro grabbed Hiei by his throat, lifted him into the air, then hurled him into the metal floor. He bounced back up and punched Mukuro in the face. She spat up blood. Eyes glowing red, Hiei went to punch her again; she grabbed his fist and snapped his arm at the elbow.

He gritted his teeth in pain. "_That _is a bit too f-far!"

"Bullshit!" Smirking cruelly, Mukuro continued to twist his arm. "_Nothing _will punish you enough for what you did! Doesn't _cheating _go against your _honour code?_"

"H-hey, you should've left me when I begged you to!"

"I was trying to save you from more rejection!"

"So betrayal was supposed to hurt less?!"

"Don't say _you_ didn't want this to end!"

"Exactly!" Hiei, tears streaming down his cheeks, yanked his arm away. "_That's_ why _I _cheated on you! I figured it'd give you a reason to leave me if you were really ready…."

"Oh." Face flushed, Mukuro backed away. "That's my excuse, too…."

They had made the same mistake. Silent, they stood there for a few moments, avoiding eye contact with each other. Hiei's broken right arm hung limply at his side. After what felt like hours, Mukuro took it into her hand and healed it completely. They still kept their gazes averted.

"I doubt humans fuck up this bad…." The fire demon removed the _hiruseki _from around his neck. "But I think they apologize in ways like this."

He handed the gem to Mukuro; she took in without protest.

"I don't think we should speak for awhile," murmured the Mazoku.

"I agree."

...

Kurama embraced Hiei.

"How'd it go?"

"You were right," sighed Hiei. "She tried the same thing…."

Frowning, Kurama led him to the bed. "Let's put it out of your mind for tonight."

"Careful, I'm kind of sore."

...

"He gave you his necklace?"

Mukuro shrugged. "I suppose it means we'll be friends again….someday."

"I guess we'll see about that," chuckled Shizuru. "How's he take it?"

"Let's just say I got a taste of my own medicine….Did I say that right?"

"For once!"

...


End file.
